It doesn’t smell. It doesn’t cause lung damage. It’s easy to hide. Many teenagers are turning to nicotine pouches, more specifically known as the popular brand of pouches, Zyns, as they believe they are the perfect alternative to traditional electronic cigarettes, also known as vapes. Contrary to popular belief, just because Zyns are easy to hide, that doesn’t mean the health effects are easily maskable too. No matter the form of nicotine, the drug itself carries harmful effects, especially for developing teenage brains.
Zyns, the most well-known brand of nicotine pouches, entered the market in 2014, and by 2024, the FDA had approved over 20 varieties. These nicotine pouches are placed between one’s gum and lip through adherence from microplastics, thus allowing nicotine to be more quickly absorbed through the lining of the mouth. . Social media trends, especially on TikTok, influenced teenagers internationally to use Zyns. Popular creators on TikTok, such as “FREEZERTARPS CHEDDY,” target a predominantly male audience, and have coined terminology such as “lip pillows” and “upperdeckys,” to influence a wave of support for Zyns among teenagers who watch this content. As TikTok is full of lighthearted content on Zyn usage, from memes to central figures, it makes it easy to forget the power of this addictive drug.
Individuals under 18 are impacted by the danger of Zyns the most. According to the American Lung Association, there has been a 641 percent increase in sales of the pouches between 2019 and 2022, while only 2.9 percent of U.S. adults have used a nicotine pouch before.
Just like other tobacco products, Zyns is a product that was created based on the belief that they are healthier than traditional cigarettes and vapes. Jonathan Hirsch, who has been advising the Redwood Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) team since 2012, argues that it’s not the way we use nicotine that causes health damage; it’s the drug itself that continues to cause health issues through various forms.
“People who use a lot of pouches are getting hardened arteries, which can contribute to heart disease and raise the risk of heart attacks. That’s something that people used to think was [only from smoking nicotine], but we’re realizing nicotine, in any form, does that,” Hirsch said.
Another side effect of nicotine, specifically with Zyns, is the increasing possibility of mouth cancer.“[TUPE] used to think that chewing tobacco would cause problems with the mouth, but we’re now realizing that nicotine, in any form, causes gum decay and tooth decay,” Hirsch said. “There are some studies that suggest it might be linked to mouth cancer.”
After watching a similar pattern with the rise of vaping, Hirsh understands the appeal of Zyns. But this doesn’t undermine the damage they have on users.
“I can see why it’s happening. It reminds me of when people started vaping and they were vaping in class, we didn’t know it at first, because they would hide it in their sleeve,” Hirsch said.
“I get it, Zyns are easy to hide, but the danger is some pouches have no regulation on how much nicotine [is in them],” Hirsch said.
Nicotine, no matter the amount, is harmful, let alone unregulated.“I’ve come across a really interesting piece of research, called Green Tobacco Sickness. What happens is people who harvest tobacco have to wear all this protective gear, because if they don’t, the nicotine that’s in the raw plant absorbs so much into their skin and they’ll get dizzy, nauseous and [get] headaches. We’re just finding out how toxic nicotine is in any form,” Hirsch said.
Senior TUPE members, Elam Schiller and Leo Centeno, have noticed a spike in Zyn usage on school grounds recently. This trend stems from the stigma surrounding vaping, given the considerable health effects, and how Zyns can be essentially judged or noticed less than vaping.
“Zyns are really popular now. I think there are a couple of reasons. One of the reasons is that people have the misconception that it is a healthier alternative, because most of the problems associated with vaping are lung issues. Zyns still have considerable health effects. Nicotine is damaging to the brain and heart and it can cause cancer. But also, it’s an inconspicuous way of using nicotine [at school],” Schiller said.
Another potential reason for increased usage is that Zyns can be used as a tool to limit vaping addiction, as it is believed to be a healthier alternative and can eventually lead users to quit nicotine usage altogether.
“Zyns could be a stepping stone to get off of [vaping], as long as you are trying to ration the amount of nicotine you’re actually ingesting, so over time, you can take less and less to finally get off of [nicotine altogether]. But, I don’t think [using Zyn’s] long-term is totally healthy,” Centeno said.
Hirsch, Schiller and Centeno agree that Zyn usage is most common among young men, which is mostly from the trends on social media targeting this group. Although the nicotine pouches are used in lighthearted videos with catchy songs and trending hashtags, it’s important to remember the real health effects off the screen, and the permanent damage that can be done..
“Postpone use of any substance as long as you can. Rates of addiction go down as you get older. So the sooner you start, the more likely you are to become addicted to it,” Schiller said.
Hirsch discusses how nicotine addiction is so easy to gain, no matter who you are, as the amount of willpower to quit is immense
“Even if a teenager does have [the willpower to quit] on their best day and teenagers can do that, teenagers can do amazing things; [all humans] have bad days. We all have days when we’re tired, when we’re weak, when we’re frustrated, when we’re emotional and we don’t have the willpower in those moments to go cold turkey,” Hirsch said.
Hirsch recommends anyone who is seeking to overcome their addiction to nicotine in any form, not just Zyns, to read “Dopamine Nation” by Anna Lembke, to help them build support systems for themselves that they can realistically stick to, so that they can find the willpower they need to remove this threatening addiction from their lives.
Furthermore, for anyone struggling with a nicotine addiction that needs support at school, there are many resources, such as the wellness center in room 103 or a TUPE member can help you by contacting their advisor, Mr. Hirsch, at [email protected]. After all, sometimes the power of nicotine is so strong, it takes more than one person to fight it.
